Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Planning - Location

Hello readers! When it came time for me to reflect on my plot planning post, I stressed the importance of the urban setting of the opening, as many of the scene elements of the plot were dependent on alleyways and buildings. While I can always try to achieve something filming from the comfort of my home, I think it would be in my best benefit to at least look into areas close to me which would fit the setting of my opening better. In today's post, I will be describing three potential places in my area in which I can film my opening, and what I would have to consider if I were to decide on going out to do so.
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Living close to Miami, a popular city known for its beaches and media surrounding it, it seems like it would be a perfect place to film my brief. The entire city could work as effective filming grounds, but one building in particular located in the downtown area caught my eye. The original Miami-Dade County Courthouse, closed in 2021 due to safety concerns, is a historic building which exceeds my original vision for the courthouse featured in the beginning scene of the opening, standing tall and refined, perfect for a formal party or gala. 


                    Source: CoStar

Of course, all of the filming of this building would be done outside of it if I were to shoot at night. Looking at some of the surrounding area through some aerial shots and maps, this corner of downtown Miami looks to be an appropriate filming location.

                    Source: Miami Herald

Another location I am considering is Main Street Miami lakes. Despite it not being exactly "urban", the area is a nice shopping center with many suitable buildings and paths that can be taken to "recreate" the alleyway scene.

                    Source: Main Street Miami Lakes

The third location on my radar is an area similar to main street in the sense that it is not exactly urban. The Miramar Cultural Center is an area where galas and live events are actually held, and the surrounding area is also full of buildings that can be used to put my ideas into fruition. The building itself could also be a prime contender for the beginning scenes before the victim of the story is taken hostage.

                    Source: Visit Lauderdale

With these three places in mind, there are a few considerations I would have to make for each prior to filming, which is just a few weeks away. One of the biggest would have to be the involvement of prop weapons, a typical convention of mystery films as a whole. If I were to go out in public to film, I would not want the actors or myself to be carrying around a prop which could be easily mistaken for a real weapon in a public area, as it could be a cause for massive alarm and punishment.

Another aspect I would have to be aware of would be obscuring traffic or the general area. Despite the intention to film at night, people would still be out and about. Knowing the car scene especially would naturally take a few attempts, it would be best to do so in as little shots as possible or even shoot in another location that receives less traffic. For this I specifically looked into the filming rules for Miami Beach, but it would be safest to assume it applies for the three main locations I want to shoot at.

The last of these considerations relates more to my convenience. Assuming the shots would be taken over a few days, it would be best to go to the location closest to me. Looking at Google Maps, the Miramar Cultural center is only 18 minutes away from my home, whereas the courthouse is 45 minutes and Main Street is 29.
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Looking at multiple locations in today's post will help me better decide whether or not I will ultimately choose to film out in public to better match the urban setting where the opening would take place in. Identifying possible issues and aspects for filming at these places really opened my eyes as to the possible filming conditions I could face if I stick to my ideas. Additionally, it has helped me narrow down towards one area more than the rest, though each location has something that the other one does not, such as the courthouse's grand stature and the more condensed passageways of Main Street.
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Sources used for information:






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Next time, I will be detailing some filming equipment I could use for the filming process. See you soon with another post!

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